The donations were coordinated by investment and trade consultant in the Office of the Prime Minister Bernadette Ambrose-Black.

Speaking during the ceremony, Ambrose-Black said that the parties who donated to the upliftment of the health sector did it willingly. She said the donations will touch the lives of many Vincentians, hospital staff and patients alike.

FLOW contributed to refurbishing the waiting area of Accident and Emergency department of the MCMH. They also donated a 50-inch television set and a brand new modem with Internet services. EC$5,000 was handed over on Monday by country manager at FLOW Wayne Hull to begin the refurbishment process.

CD Veira Ltd and proprietors Candy and Ian Veira donated three refrigerators. One of the refrigerators will be used to store vaccines for newborn babies, one will go to the oncology unit, while one was given to the polyclinic in Campden Park.

Guardsman will install electronic access doors at A&E, while Andrewâs Refrigeration, through the companyâs owner Andrew Miller, has provided AC Units for the oncology unit. National Properties Limited gave a television set for the oncology unit and an amplifier for the public-address system at the hospital.

Commenting, country manager at FLOW Wayne Hull said the MCMH is one of the most important institutions in the country that has either through a relative or directly, served all of us.

He said that the Internet connection and modem is expected, to some extent, help with telemedicine.

Miller of Andrewâs Refrigeration said that recently, he was a patient at the MCMH in very bad health and the doctors and nurses did an excellent job in helping him recover.

âI was at the hospital in a detrimental position and I looked at how the nurses and doctors paid attention to me in making me… better and some of them stayed beyond their work time; doctors came back from their houses in their time, and because of the service they have provided to me, I am very happy to be on board with the [oncology] clinic that is being opened, to provide cooling and comfort and anyhow we can help, we are committed,â said Andrews.

Minister of Health Luke Browne, who was also at the event, praised the donors for assisting in a tangible manner.

He said the donations will add to the quality of the service that is delivered at the MCMH.

âThere are good things happening in health and there are good things happening at the MCMH and this comes about as a result of various partnerships,â said Browne, who commended the private sector for their donations.

Addressing the gathering, an emotional hospital administrator Grace Walters said gifts from overseas donors are welcomed, but when gifts are received from the Vincentian population at home, it is very emotional and âbrings home to us that Vincentians truly are wonderful people.â

Also donating was the SVG Medical Association, who gave breast cancer awareness pins that were given to the benefactors.(LC)